DEP orders WPX Energy to pay for permanent water supply

The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered an Oklahoma-based gas company to provide a permanent water supply solution for three Westmoreland County families whose well water was found to be contaminated by the gas company's operation.

WPX Energy currently has a Marcellus shale gas drilling pad and impoundment pond behind several homes in the 1200 block of Route 711 in Donegal Township. Mildred and Kenneth Geary claim a leak in the pond caused contaminated water to seep through the earth and into their well, causing their tap water to taste and smell unusual.

"It smelled bad, it tasted terrible. We couldn't cook with it or eat anything, so they had to bring us water," Mildred Geary said. "It was slimy, it just smelled bad."

Geary said the problem started several years ago, but WPX didn't start bringing fresh water until months after initial complaints. A WPX spokeswoman said as soon as the problem was brought to their attention, the company began paying for fresh water for the Gearys.

"As we learned of the water concern from three of our neighbors individually, we began working with each family and the DEP to provide fresh water for their use at our expense, and began an investigation with the DEP," Oliver said in a statement. "We understand the process can be lengthy as there is litigation and scientific testing involved, and we know this can be frustrating, but at no time were the families without fresh water once we learned of their situations."

Recently, after the DEP's investigation, the state agency determined WPX was responsible for the contamination and ordered the company to provide a permanent water supply solution for the affected families.

"DEP has determined that WPX's activity has impacted these water supplies and have issued a unilateral order to permanently replace the three water supplies," John Poister, spokesman for the DEP said. "We realize that this is a serious issue for these homeowners; if WPX fails to comply with this order - it will result in enforcement actions, which could include an immediate permitting freeze until the issue is addressed."

In the meantime, the Gearys continue to use their water buffalo, and are hoping a permanent solution arrives soon.

"We asked them to bring the city water from Donegal but they told us 'No, it costs too much money,'" Geary said.

Full statement from Susan Oliver with WPX Energy:

WPX has been in Pa for more than 60 years as part of our previous parent company and now as an independent E&P company. Our Employees, all Pa residents, began actively drilling for natural gas in 2010.

As we learned of the water concern from three of our neighbors individually, we began working with each family and the DEP to provide fresh water for their use at our expense, and began an investigation with the DEP. We understand the process can be lengthy as there is litigation and scientific testing involved, and we know this can be frustrating, but at no time were the families without fresh water once we learned of their situations. There is an attorney working with a local activist group that wants to litigate this situation in the media but there is a judicial process and a scientific investigation plan underway, and we will respect and follow those two processes. We continue to work cooperatively and openly with the DEP and the families involved as we continue the scientific investigation, and we will continue to provide fresh water to the three families at our expense as we move through this process. Our goal is to provide a permanent water solution for the three families.

Full statement from John Poister with the Department of Environmental Protection:

DEP has determined that WPX's activity has impacted these water supplies and have issued a unilateral order to permanently replace the three water supplies. We realize that this is a serious issue for these homeowners; if WPX fails to comply with this order - it will result in enforcement actions, which could include an immediate permitting freeze until the issue is addressed.

As you have seen, there is a process regarding orders and appeals, and the company in some cases may elect to appeal a DEP order, which certainly can add time. In these three cases, there have been a number of complications and while the company has provided the families with bottled water and other fresh water sources-it's not a replacement for clean running water in the home.

EXPECT FOR TOMORROW. BIG CHANGES ON THE WAY. MIKE, THANKS SO MUCH. THEY CAN'T DRINK FROM IT, THEY CAN'T BRUSH THEIR TEETH WITH IT, TONIGHT A WESTMORELAND COUNTY FAMILY IS DEALING WITH CONTAMIN WATER. THEY'RE BLAMING SHALE GAS . ASHLIE HARDWAY TELLS US MORE. THIS IS THE WATER THE FAMILY HAS TO HAVE IN THEIR YARD BECAUSE THE GAS COMPANY DOING WORK BEHIND THEIR PROPERTY CONTAMINAT WELL WATER. AND WHILE THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX, THEY AREN'T SURE WHEN THEY'LL HAV. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, 75-YEAR-OLD MILDRED AND HER HUSBAND KENNETH COULDN'T USE THEIR OWN WELL WATER. SMELLED BAD, TASTED TERRIBLE. WE COULDN'T COOK WITH IT OR EAT ANYTHING. THEY HAD TO BRING US WATER. R THE PROBLEM, THE GEARYS SAID, IS THE POND AT THE DR PAD. THEY CLAIM A LEAK IN THE POND BEHIND THEIR HOUSE SENT THE CONTAMIN WATER THROUGH THE GROUND INTO THEIR WELL. FOR MONTHS NO ONE WOULD ADMIT THERE WA RECENTLY. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IT. AND THEY FINALLY DID ADMIT THAT OUR WATER IS BAD. Reporte THEY NOW HAVE THIS GIANT WATER BUFFALO IN THEIR BACKYARD, WITH CLEAN WATER. THE D.E.P. JUST DETERMINED THE ACTIVITY CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. AND ORDERED WPX TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT WAT SUPPLY REPLACEMT FOR THE GEARYS AND THEIR TWO NEIGHBORS. THE D.E.P. ADDED IF WPX DOESN'T COMPLY THEY COULD FACE ENFORCEMT ACTIONS. WE ASKED THEM TO BRING THE WATER FROM DONEGAL TO HAVE CITY WATER. AND I SAID, NO, IT COSTS TOO MUCH MONEY. A SPOKESWOMAN SAID AS SOON AS THE LEARN OF THE WATER ISSUES, THEY WORKED WITH THE THE D.E.P. TO PROVIDE FRESH WATER AT THEIR EXPENSE. TH UD THIS IS A FRUSTRATING PROCESS. SHE CLAIMS THE FAMILIES HAD FRESH WATER AS SOON AS WPX LEARNED OF THE ISSUE. THERE IS NO TIMELINE ON WHEN